How Big of an Advantage Do Steroid Users Have in the Gym? Science Answers
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of 'Muscle for Life', Mike Matthews discusses a study comparing the training and supplementation habits of steroid-using and natural bodybuilders. The study reveals that steroid users perform significantly more training volume, often with higher rep ranges, and less rest between sets. Despite using more advanced training techniques and questionable supplements, the steroid-enhanced bodybuilders gain more muscle mass with potentially suboptimal training, highlighting the profound impact of steroids on muscle and strength gains.
Takeaways
- 💪 Steroids significantly enhance muscle and strength gains, allowing users to do more volume and recover faster than natural bodybuilders.
- 🧠 The common belief among steroid users that they still need to be knowledgeable about diet and training is not entirely accurate, as steroids can yield results even with suboptimal practices.
- 📊 A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the training and supplementation habits of 147 natural and 40 enhanced bodybuilders.
- 🏋️♂️ Enhanced bodybuilders reported doing 24 to 40 sets per major muscle group per week, compared to 12 to 24 sets by natural bodybuilders.
- 🔢 Enhanced bodybuilders also trained in higher rep ranges, averaging 13 to 15 reps per set, while naturals averaged 1 to 6 reps per set.
- 🤸♂️ Advanced training techniques like supersets, partial reps, and tempo training were more common among enhanced bodybuilders (98%) than naturals (90%).
- 📉 Less than half of enhanced bodybuilders periodized their training (50%) compared to a majority of natural bodybuilders (71%).
- ⏱️ Enhanced bodybuilders often rested for shorter periods between sets, with 23% resting only 30 to 60 seconds, compared to just 4% of natural bodybuilders.
- 💊 Both groups took supplements, but steroid users were more likely to take supplements of dubious value like EAAs, BCAAs, and HMB.
- 📚 The study suggests that steroid users may be less knowledgeable or skillful in bodybuilding due to the forgiving nature of steroids on training and diet mistakes.
- 📈 Steroid users in the study weighed an average of 18 pounds more than natural bodybuilders, highlighting the significant impact of steroids on muscle mass.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the podcast episode discussed in the script?
-The main topic of the podcast episode is the impact of steroids on muscle gain and strength, and how it compares to natural bodybuilding practices.
What was the study's focus regarding steroid use in bodybuilding?
-The study focused on comparing the self-reported training and supplementation practices between performance-enhancing drug users and natural bodybuilders.
How many participants were surveyed in the study mentioned in the script?
-The study surveyed 147 natural bodybuilders and 40 enhanced bodybuilders.
What were some of the key differences in training volume between enhanced and natural bodybuilders as reported in the study?
-Enhanced bodybuilders did significantly more volume per major muscle group per week, with 24 to 40 sets compared to natural bodybuilders who did 12 to 24 sets.
What was the average rep range for enhanced bodybuilders in the study?
-The average rep range for enhanced bodybuilders was 13 to 15 reps per set.
How did the use of advanced training techniques differ between the two groups in the study?
-Enhanced bodybuilders were more likely to use advanced training techniques such as supersets, partial reps, tempo training, and pre-exhaustion, with about 98% using such techniques compared to about 90% of natural bodybuilders.
What was the difference in periodization of training between enhanced and natural bodybuilders?
-About 50% of enhanced bodybuilders were periodizing their training, while about 71% of natural bodybuilders did so.
What were the differences in between-set rest times reported in the study?
-A larger portion of steroid users rested just 30 to 60 seconds between sets, while a larger share of natural bodybuilders rested more than two minutes between sets.
What was the average weight difference reported between steroid users and natural bodybuilders in the study?
-Steroid users weighed about 18 pounds more on average than natural bodybuilders, with steroid users averaging about 210 pounds and natural bodybuilders about 192 pounds.
What is the context provided for the 18-pound weight difference mentioned in the script?
-The context provided is that the average person can gain about 30 to 45 pounds of muscle over their lifetime, making the 18-pound difference significant.
What is the name of the sports nutrition company mentioned in the script, and what does it offer?
-The sports nutrition company mentioned is Legion. It offers all-natural and transparent formulations, clinically effective ingredients and doses, free shipping on all U.S. orders, affordable international shipping, and a no-hassle money-back guarantee.
Outlines
💪 Steroid Impact on Muscle and Strength Gains
In this episode, Mike Matthews from Muscle for Life delves into the effects of steroids on muscle and strength gains, referencing a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The study compared the training and supplementation habits of 147 natural and 40 enhanced bodybuilders. Key findings include that steroid users perform significantly more volume per major muscle group per week, with 24 to 40 sets compared to naturals' 12 to 24 sets. Enhanced bodybuilders also tend to train in higher rep ranges and use more advanced training techniques. The study challenges the common belief that steroids only make a difference if one is disciplined in the gym and with diet, showing that even with suboptimal training, steroids can lead to significant muscle and strength gains.
🏋️♂️ Training and Supplementation Differences Among Bodybuilders
This paragraph focuses on the detailed differences in training and supplementation between natural and enhanced bodybuilders as revealed by the study. Enhanced bodybuilders are more likely to perform higher rep sets and use advanced training techniques such as supersets, partial reps, and tempo training. The study also highlights that steroid users are less likely to periodize their training and have shorter rest times between sets. Supplementation data shows that while both groups take supplements, steroid users take more controversial ones like EAAs, BCAAs, and HMB. The paragraph emphasizes the potential risks for natural weightlifters if they attempt to mimic the training volume of enhanced bodybuilders, suggesting that such high volume could lead to injury.
🚀 Steroid Users' Superior Training Recovery and Results
Mike Matthews discusses the implications of the study's findings on the capabilities of steroid users compared to natural weightlifters. The study indicates that steroid users can handle and recover from twice the amount of training, which contributes to their faster muscle and strength gains. The paragraph also addresses the misconception that steroids are not significantly different from supplements and emphasizes the reality that steroids allow for suboptimal training to still yield substantial results. The speaker warns natural weightlifters against adopting the high-volume training programs of steroid users, as it could lead to stagnation or injury due to inadequate recovery.
📢 Listener Engagement and Legion's Labor Day Sale
In the final paragraph, Mike Matthews wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to engage with the content, subscribe to the show, and provide feedback. He also promotes his sports nutrition company, Legion, highlighting its all-natural and transparent formulations, clinically effective ingredients, and a no-hassle money-back guarantee. The paragraph announces a Labor Day Sale offering significant discounts on all products, free shipping in the U.S., and affordable international shipping. Listeners are urged to take advantage of the sale before stock runs out.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Steroids
💡Muscle for Life
💡Bodybuilders
💡Training Volume
💡Repetition Ranges
💡Advanced Training Techniques
💡Periodization
💡Supplementation
💡EAA
💡HMB
💡Legion
Highlights
The podcast discusses a study on the impact of steroids on muscle gain and strength, challenging the notion that steroids are only effective with proper diet and training.
The study compared training and supplementation practices between enhanced and natural bodybuilders.
Enhanced bodybuilders performed significantly more volume per major muscle group per week compared to natural bodybuilders.
Enhanced bodybuilders typically trained in higher rep ranges than naturals, averaging 13 to 15 reps per set.
Enhanced bodybuilders were more likely to use advanced training techniques such as supersets and tempo training.
Fifty percent of enhanced bodybuilders did not periodize their training compared to 71 percent of natural bodybuilders.
Steroid users had shorter rest times between sets, with 23 percent resting only 30 to 60 seconds.
Enhanced bodybuilders were more likely to follow old school bodybuilding programs with high volume and sets.
The study found that steroid users can recover from more training volume than natural weight lifters.
Steroid users weighed about 18 pounds more on average than natural bodybuilders.
The average person can gain 30 to 45 pounds of muscle in their lifetime, with diminishing returns over time.
Steroid users can gain muscle and strength with suboptimal training due to the effectiveness of steroids.
Attempting a steroid user's training program as a natural lifter can lead to injury and stagnation due to inadequate recovery.
The podcast promotes Legion, a sports nutrition company, offering natural supplements and a Labor Day sale.
Legion's Labor Day Sale offers 40 percent off on the second product and gift cards with purchases over certain amounts.
The host encourages feedback and subscription to the podcast for new episodes and increased visibility.
Transcripts
hello hello I'm Mike Matthews and this
is muscle for life thank you for joining
me today for a new episode on the topic
of steroids I came across an interesting
study in my travels that was published
about a year ago and I wanted to discuss
it here on the podcast because it lends
some insight into just how big of a
difference steroids make in terms of
gaining muscle and gaining strength
because many steroid users will say that
yeah steroids do make a difference but
you still really have to know what
you're doing in the kitchen and you have
to really know what you're doing in the
gym or they're not going to make that
much of a difference well how true is
that that is the question that I will be
answering in today's episode and
specifically I'm going to be discussing
some research that looked at the
training and supplementation differences
between enhanced and natural
bodybuilders and sharing a few two of
the key takeaways that we can glean from
this research
okay let's start with a paper called
self-reported training and
supplementation practices between
performance enhancing drug user
bodybuilders compared with natural
bodybuilders and this was published in
September of 2022 in Journal of strength
and conditioning research so if you've
spent enough time in gyms talking to
enough people usually guys you're going
to come across drug users who are honest
about using drugs and a common refrain
you will hear if you talk about drug use
and bodybuilding is that they still have
to work just as hard as everybody else
they still have to be just as
intelligent with their diet and with
their training they just get better
results that is what many drug users
will say now you might be skeptical
because you're on social media and
you've seen many drug users who pay very
little attention if any attention to
what they eat and who also don't seem to
have any Rhyme or Reason to their
training it's just go hard all out two
hours a day six days a week seven days a
week and they look like superheroes and
they perform like superheroes they are
big they are lean they are strong and
they are always big lean and strong for
years on end and so in this study that I
want to share with you today scientists
at the University of Sydney surveyed 147
natural and 40 enhanced bodybuilders to
investigate how they're training and how
their supplementation protocols differed
and what the responses showed is that
the steroid users did significantly more
volume per major muscle group per week
than the Natty bodybuilders so in the
enhanced bodybuilders it was 24 to 40
sets per major muscle group per week
versus 12 to 24 sets and the enhanced
bodybuilders also typically trained in
higher rep ranges than the naturals so
in the enhanced bodybuilders it was 13
to 15 reps per set on average in the 90s
it was one to six reps per set on
average the research has also found that
enhanced bodybuilders were slightly more
likely to use Advanced I guess you could
put that in scare quotes Advanced or
sophisticated training techniques so
there was more in the way of supersets
and partial reps and Tempo training
pre-exhaustion so forth so about 98 of
the enhanced bodybuilders said that they
use techniques like that versus about 90
percent of the naturals the enhanced
bodybuilders were also less likely to
periodize their training so that's
training in different rep ranges based
on goals and circumstances so about 50
percent of the enhanced bodybuilders
were periodizing their training versus
about 71 percent of the natural
bodybuilders there were significant
differences in in between set rest times
as well most of the bodybuilders
surveyed rested about one to two minutes
in between sets but a larger portion of
the steroid users rested just 30 to 60
seconds between sets than the natural so
about 23 percent of the enhanced
bodybuilders said they rest just 30 to
60 seconds in between sets versus about
four percent of the natural weight
lifters and also a larger share of
natural bodybuilders rested more than
two minutes in between sets than the
steroid users so about 45 of the natural
bodybuilders said that they rest more
than two minutes in between sets versus
about 20 percent of the steroid users
and so then what we are seeing here is
that the enhanced bodybuilders were much
more likely to follow just an old school
bodybuilding program a lot of volume so
a lot of volume in terms of hard sets
per major muscle group per week I mean
40 hard sets imagine trying to program
that 40. 40 hard sets even 20 hard sets
for more than one major muscle group per
week gets tricky to program if you're
not willing to be in the gym four or
five days per week for at least an hour
and a half per session but you you try
to do 30 or 40 sets for even one major
muscle group let alone more than one
that is a lot of training and one of the
reasons why I would not recommend trying
that is as a natural weight lifter you
are almost certainly going to just get
hurt if you try to do that we also saw
that the enhanced bodybuilders are more
likely to do higher rep sets which is
also something that I'm sure you have
seen if you've spent enough time in the
gym you've seen guys who are clearly on
a lot of drugs and they have long
workouts and they're doing like eight
exercises per workout and they're doing
several sets per exercise and they're
doing sets of 15 20 25 reps per set
they're rarely doing below probably 10
or 8 and the enhanced bodybuilders are
also often doing supersets and giant
sets and cluster sets and partials and
negatives and force reps and so on also
also the supplementation data was kind
of interesting because both groups of
bodybuilders surveyed took supplements
no surprise but significantly more
steroid users took eaas BCAAs hmb
digestive enzymes supplements that are
of dubious value eaas BCAAs worthless
especially to an enhanced bodybuilder
who is almost certainly eating plenty of
protein absolutely worthless hmb also
almost certainly worthless for an
enhanced bodybuilder even if they are
doing fasted training and that would be
the only scenario where I would
recommend hmb for its anti-catabolic
properties that's why it's in one of my
products it's in a product of mine
called Forge or pre-workout fat burner
that is explicitly designed for fasted
training if you want to check it out
it's at buylegion.com Forge and it has
hmb but outside of that use case I
wouldn't recommend hmb it's not going to
harm anything but it's probably not
going to help much of anything either so
anyway that supplementation data point
is just in line with the training data
that we saw there that the average
steroid user in this study was less
knowledgeable was less you could say
even skillful in their bodybuilding
because of how effective steroids are
you can make all kinds of mistakes in
the kitchen and gym but if you're on the
right drugs you are going to get
outstanding results and let's talk about
the results in this study the
bodybuilders were all of a similar
height they're about five nine but the
steroid users weighed about 18 pounds
more on average than the natural
bodybuilders so the steroid users on
average about 210 pounds the natties
about 192 pounds now 18 pounds of muscle
is a lot in case that doesn't sound like
a lot to you let me just give you a
little bit of context so the average guy
will be able to gain probably about 30
to 45 pounds of muscle over the course
of his lifetime there is a genetic hard
limit to how much muscle you can gain
now you can quibble with that and say
well actually that is technically not
true because you can always gain at
least a little bit more muscle both
gears never completely stop turning yeah
fine but practically speaking your gains
approach zero after five six seven years
of training after gaining the 30 to 45
pounds that you can gain in that period
any further muscle growth is going to be
almost negligible I'm talking about a
pound or two in a year and that's a good
year and every subsequent year your
potential muscle growth gets even
smaller so if in year eight you gain a
couple of pounds you're nine it's
probably gonna be about half of that and
half of that and so forth until you are
trying to measure grams of muscle growth
per year now every rule has exceptions
of course and one could be a specific
muscle group that is very underdeveloped
on your body it's going to be a smaller
one probably like Calves for example
let's say you never really trained your
calves but you trained everything else
in your upper body and you trained your
lower body generally intensely many
years you've gotten big you've gotten
strong but your calves are relatively
under developed all right then maybe you
can put a pound of muscle on each of
your calves and you might be able to do
that in six eight twelve months maybe
even a little bit more than that but
that's only because you had a muscle
group that was under developed but if
calf training was a regular part of your
regimen and you approached that just as
vigorously as you approached everything
else then the rule would hold now I know
I am on a little bit of a tangent here
so I'll just wrap it up if you want to
learn more about natural muscle growth
potential how much muscle you can build
naturally head over to
legionathletics.com search for naturally
and look for an article I wrote on the
topic I also do have a podcast on it but
the article I think is a little bit
better because as there are some
calculators in there that you can play
with anyway so coming back to this
steroid study what can we take away from
this well one point is that steroid
users can clearly do and recover from a
lot more training than natural weight
lifters remember in this study the
steroid users were doing about twice as
much training and that is one of the
reasons why steroid users can gain
muscle and strength a lot faster than
natural weight lifters they can just do
a lot more work and recover from a lot
more work a natural weight lifter might
need twice as much time to do the same
amount of work and this study also
highlights an observation that many of
us have made over the years because
we've seen it firsthand so many times
that is steroids can help people gain a
lot of muscle gain a lot of strength
with very sub optimal training so much
so that if you as a natural weight
lifter with a fair amount of experience
under your belt you've gained a fair
amount of muscle and strength you've
been doing it for at least a few years
you've been following evidence-based
program timing which differs a lot from
the steroid programming that I shared in
this study you're doing less volume so
that's fewer hard sets per major muscle
group per week you're doing fewer reps
on average per set you're resting longer
in between sets your workouts are
shorter you're doing 10 12 maybe 15 sets
in a workout period as opposed to 20 30
or 40 sets over the course of again five
six seven eight exercises for multiple
muscle groups if you were to switch to
the steroid users program you might see
a little bit of progress in the
beginning from the dramatic increase in
volume and the dramatic increase in
mechanical tension that is now being
generated in your muscles but that will
be short-lived because eventually you
will not only stagnate but you may even
regress because you will not be able to
recover from all of that training and
you might even get hurt because you are
not recovering fully from your workouts
and you are trying to push yourself as
hard as you can and so just keep all of
this in mind when you hear steroid users
claim that steroids don't make that big
of a difference and you still have to be
really smart with your diet and with
your training and yeah I mean they're
better than supplements but they're not
that much better nonsense
if you like what I'm doing here on the
podcast and elsewhere and if you want to
help me do more of it please do check
out my Sports Nutrition Company Legion
because while you don't need supplements
to build muscle lose fat and get healthy
the right ones can help and what's more
Legion offers all natural and
transparent formulations clinically
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well I hope you liked this episode I
hope you found it helpful and if you did
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you and if you didn't like something
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general or if you have ideas or
suggestions or just feedback to share
shoot me an email Mike muscleforlife.com
muscleforlife.com and let me know what I
could do better or just uh what your
thoughts are about maybe what you'd like
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everything myself I'm always looking for
new ideas and constructive feedback so
thanks again for listening to this
episode and I hope to hear from you soon
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